Question about Eye Donation

Nursing Students General Students

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We are doing teaching projects on organ donation. I have been assigned the eye. Today while at our clinical site, I was told by a lady that her daughter's eyes were turned down because she had been to Germany (20 years ago - her husband was military and they were stationed there.) Does anyone know of the rationale behind this or where I might find it? I have searched many sites on eye donations and I can't find anything about it.

Thanks,

KathieSue

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

There is absolutely no reason for them to turn down someone's eyes based upon going to Germany twenty years ago. They will not take donors who have a history of intravenous drug use, HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and Syphillis. Also, if the patient has an infectious disease. They will check WBC for that. It seems that most donations are on a case-to-case basis. They will even take patients with cataracts.

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I actually heard her ask the lady what being in Germany had to do with it, and the lady commented that she didn't know but that was what the EyeBank had told her. The lady's daughter died from a massive heart attack. Weird, I know, but I did hear it with my own ears. I am desperately wanting to put this in my teaching project because it is so weird but can't get any information on why.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Well that is very interesting. The best way to find answers about things is to contact the people who are doing it. I would contact that eye bank who did it. Ask questions, not directly about that patient ofcourse, but about specifications for eye donors. Hopefully they will be helpful. I know that the eye bank in Alabama (where I am from) will answer questions and are always helpful. They will be able to give alot of insight. Plus, you are promoting donorship and that's what they want.

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Great suggestion, thanks. I was actually in the office doing an interview with another transplant coordinator at the time and she said that it had happened before, but then again it is in a military town. But thanks a lot for the suggestion.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I probably didn't tell you anything that you didn't already know. But I was very intrigued by the fact that she was not a candidate for eye donorship. Let me know what you find out, I would love to hear the rationale behind the reasoning.

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could be the same reason that they won't let me give blood. i was stationed in the uk for more than 6 months in the late 80s. they are worried that i'll give someone cjd. this is from a blood bank web site:

[color=#002249][color=#002249]england - cannot donate if spent time that adds up to 3 months or more in the u.k. from 1980-1996 (england, n. ireland, scotland, wales, isle of man, channel islands, gibraltar, falkland islands)

europe - cannot donate if spent time that adds up to 5 years or more in european countries since 1980 (including time spent in the uk during 1980-1996)

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Agree with the above poster. I think it will have something to do with CJD and the risk of transmitting it to others via donation

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